The present invention is directed to a product on demand delivery system having an agitator assembly for agitating product located in the nozzle assembly of the product on demand system.
Pneumatic product on demand delivery systems have been used on agricultural seeding machines to automatically direct seed from a main seed hopper to a plurality of individual planting units. Each of the individual planting units has an auxiliary seed hopper for receiving the seed, a seed meter for metering the seed from the auxiliary seed hopper and a furrow opener for forming a planting furrow into which the metered seed is deposited. A fan is used to create pressurized air that forms an air stream on which the seed is taken to the planting units. These systems automatically replenish the auxiliary hoppers as needed.
Air seeders meter seed upstream of the transporting air stream. As the meter is more remote from the application device the product is not metered onto the field in as accurate a manner as an application unit where the product meters are in close proximity to the application site.
The commercially available seed on demand delivery systems typically require a large fan to create the air stream. The large fan is required because of the pressure losses in the pneumatic system caused by abrupt changes in direction by the air stream in the main hopper.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a product on demand delivery system wherein the air stream passing through the main hopper is not subjected to the abrupt changes in direction.
A product on demand delivery system comprises a frame having a main hopper and an application unit. An air pump directs pressurized air to a manifold where the pressurized air is distributed to a plurality of air supply hoses. The air supply hoses are coupled to air inlets located on the bottom of the main hopper. Opposite the air inlets are corresponding product outlets for receiving the air streams and product entrained in the air stream. The product outlets are coupled to product supply hoses that are in turn coupled to auxiliary hoppers located on the application units. The bottom of the main hopper is concave and has outwardly diverging side walls. The air inlet is downwardly angled relative to the bottom and the product outlet is upwardly angled relative to the bottom. Peaked baffles are located above corresponding air inlets and outlets so that product puddles form beneath the baffles. Gaps are formed between adjacent baffles so that product from the main hopper can flow into the product puddles.
With product having large particles, like corn and soybeans, an insert may be placed in the air inlet. The insert is provided with an air deflecting portion that directs a portion of the air stream downwardly into the product puddle formed under the baffles to stir up some of the product so that it is more readily entrained in the air stream passing into the product outlet.
Product having small particles can be picked up too readily by the air stream passing from the air inlet to the product outlet. As such, a clip on element is provided which clips onto the baffles and limits the exposure of the air stream to the product puddle by covering a portion of the product puddle.
The product on demand delivery system can be used to supply seed from a main seed hopper to an auxiliary seed hopper located on a planting unit. The planting unit would include an auxiliary seed hopper that supplies seed to a seed meter which in turn directs metered seed to a planting furrow formed by a furrow opener.
In another embodiment the nozzle assembly is provided with an agitator assembly having a transverse rod that is provided with a plurality of radially extending fingers. The transverse rod is rotated back and forth through one-hundred three degrees by a gearbox/motor assembly. The radially extending fingers sweep the gaps between the individual baffles.